Setting The Mood

Setting the mood...

What do you do as a writer to get into the right frame of mind for writing the horror scenes?   I often wonder about that.  I often go to YouTube and google "creepy pics" or "scary pics" to see what pops up.  I watch them sometimes and try to think about what exactly causes me to get scared or nervous when watching them.  

Most are not scary or creepy, unless you let yourself play act it, right?   I think that is true of all horror though, you choose to allow it to scare you even if it is not so scary by itself.  

A lot of it is the music, I think.  I wonder how I will do mine since I want to show an "Unangan vibe".  I think I will need to teach everyone to fear these sounds...  will be  a fun challenge!  

I bet I get some musicians interested too since it is a new "thing".  

Here is a video I found, dancers and music.  This group is impossible to get a hold of, they never respond!!  I hate how they try to pick and choose who gets to be "native", sigh!  

This drumming can become scary, I can imagine a version of it!!  In my stories, it is only loosely based on my culture, a "sci fi" version of it!  I cant wait until we get more in touch with other Unangan!    Poverty and isolation is never fun and makes it hard to learn your own culture.   It is one reason I so want to do this!  Introduce us to the world!  We are unique!!  

But back to setting the mood, I want people to feel that slight chill down their spine, a sort of uncomfortable feeling that you cant quite identify as "fear" but know is not a good feeling...  So the beginning of the film is pretty tame, but I want to give a creepy sensation down the spine, just here and there.  So they are left wondering what is there, did they miss seeing it?  Hehe, I don't know, I know how I want to do it, I want a slow build until they recognize it is "Fear" but by then it is too late...  It is one of our old warrior traditions: "when you hear our drums, it is already too late"...

This style shown, it is kind of shapeless, I find it hard to imagine it is real cultural look and not "modified" by the Rus and their church....  Maybe they just copied the men's for the woman's too??   I find it hard to believe that ancient Unangan who traded with the Orient on a regular basis had this lack of fashion sense!!   I half think it was meant to discourage us somehow from embracing our culture again...  :p    I know, I know, put me tin hat back on....  :p

This one says it is a parka and purse, that makes more sense to me, as a coat rather then an outfit!    Now look at her cool hat and imagine the dress underneath her coat to match...  

Lol, and now back to our regularly scheduled blah blah...  :p

But to create the chill and fear, I have the plan...  How do you go about it?  Do you also search "creepy and/or scary"?     

Do you picture the scene and then add scary elements or picture it scary and work from there?

Do you know it is good when you feel your hairs on the back of your neck reacting??!!  :p  

Anyway, still in too good a mood to try to write horror, do not want to mess it up!  But yikes, hopefully my rambling does not scare away people  :p   

hugs,

~Sea

Big Dance Number

Big Dance Number...

Lol, ok, I have no idea the exact thoughts that lead to me thinking I should have a dance number tribute to Bob Fossi as part of my "drugged werewolf scene"...  But I wanted some short scene that would be easy to recognize as "Fossi" and ended up listening to this and got it stuck in my head, yikes!

                              Chicago ~  We Both Reached For the Gun


 I was thinking more 

                             Paula Abdul Cold Hearted Snake


I imagined a scene where the werewolf is drugged and then he sees the people both as people then as other scary images.  Then I thought it would be a giggle to throw in a few seconds of this where they move over the hay stacks or something...  

I did say in a previous blog I wanted to get all the silly stuff out of my system with this film before I do my "real" ones...  hehe...

But then in a creepy way that first one could work...  The one old couple could be the pair as dummy/ventriloquist and the other people as creepy puppets, that might give the werewolf pause...  :p  

But as part of publicity for the film have contest where people do a greenscreen of themselves like a creepy animal /werewolf puppet and see if I can put them together creepily...  lol, what ideas do you come up with that you would rather not people know??  :p 

I wonder if it is because I watched Fight Club and have "all singing / all dancing" stuck in the back of my head  ...


But have you ever wondered what would happen if a man got drugged but turned into a werewolf anyway??  I did, sort of...  :p  But still in that "get it all out of my system" thang...  hopefully will catch them all and put them as behind the scenes junk...  #horrorfilm #indieDirector

hugs,  

~Sea



 

Types of Writing Moods

Types of writing moods...

I am in a weird mood right now.  I so want to write on my werewolf movie but kind of too excited about it to do a good job...  ever feel that way?

I can see the scene in my mind so can type it up anytime, it is just weird.  I guess I think the scene is good, so excited.  I dont really dream of becoming super famous and all that blah blah blah...  I think my biggest wish as a director is not an Oscar but to meet Slash and have him say "You scared me to death, Searean!" hehe...  #Slash

#Want Slash as me toy, heheh

 He is even better today then when I first fell in lust with him back in zee 80's!

But my writing mood is too happy I think to write horror.  I guess I think the script is going well and I am forcing myself to stay within what I can do right now today and not after a year of practice  :p    Or at least what I can picture myself doing...  I can picture how to do each scene so far, I am trying very hard to keep it "low budget filming".  

I think it is a good thing to learn, imagine all the money we can save over the years by picturing it this way!   For my main Bride of Sorrows (BOS) I have a big upfront costs but it will end up being spread out over the movies and tv shows I have planned around it.   So, it is pretty low budget since it is mostly the costumes that will run up the price of it but they will wear them often in the films so...

It is good to think of this enforced waiting time as prep time.  I become more excited and less scared as it feels drawn out.  I had hoped to do it last Summer but lack of funding, blah blah blah, and it ended up being postponed to this Summer.  But I feel it is a good thing for me.  And not just in a 'turn the events to a positive" thingy, I have learned a whole lot and gone beyond my comfort zone even.  That has been a big help to me I think.  Writing a totally new script idea has given me a lot of confidence I lacked last year!  Strange how it can happen.  Writing something I have wanted to see for awhile and then realizing I can do it myself!  

What kind of writing moods do you get?  Just write, and do not erase!  Create a folder called "junk" and put them there instead of erasing them.  It is important because sometimes a certain phrase will be remembered and you need to try to find it or remember it, easier to put it into a folder!  

Anyway, I hope your mood is as good as mine!  

hugs,

~Sea

The "Toys" Game

The "Toys" Game!

It is so easy to get caught up in it, the Toys game!  

I love to browse B & H Photo     , it is so fun!


I try to find the best combo for what I need for my first low budget film, just a few things really, but can add on a thing here or there too easily!

I got the basics down to just under $11,000 now.  But that is for a Sony A7S II

Sony A7s from B & H photo

Isn't it strange though, how I get the ideas into my head.  I absolutely need this camera to make the perfect low budget film.  No idea how I got that idea in the first place, but now it is there, the seed planted.  My fertile imagination doing the rest.  Browsing the site though, you see it is also paired with a Sony PMW F5

B & H Photo

And there is my imagination telling me it is a good deal and I will need it eventually, right?  So I need to wait until I can afford both to make the film.  I guess it seems like it is a "practical thing" and I can talk myself into needing almost anything I want  :p   

But wow, I have it down to the absolute necessities and it is do-able!  Once I get the audio for my handycam, I will do a behind the scenes for you.  It is funny how all the goofy ideas come to you, the ones you would never actually put in the film itself, but pop into your mind...  

Ever see the movie "Much Ado About Nothing", the Kevin Kline one?  I love their play scene as it shows him doing lots of added 'goofy' stuff.  I hope to get it all out of my system with this Werewolf one!   I daydream the scenes if I am not at my computer to type it up.  I wanted a scary chase scene but my ideas had an element of the absurd.  I will probably film a few just to have them as behind the scenes.  But this also leads me back to my "toys" theme...  I need more!  hehe...  I dont know why, I have some very interesting ideas but they are NOT low budget!  darn!  

I know the best way to actually get the film completed is to write it with what I actually have to use now.  But I keep thinking it would be cool to get a dozen kayaks, life vests, etc.  and an action cam for each one and see how cool it is filming the rafting!  Ok, they do not get chased here, it would be added money and not further the story, just be a cool scene to do...  So, reality check and cut scene!  Then I tell myself, well...  we could add a chase scene here, the werewolf on the bank keeping pace as they race for their life down the river!  How cool would that be, the 4 or so kayaks and a desperate race for their own life!  We would need to throw in "Crewman #23" to die since my main cast cant yet...  hehe...  more toys!!

But reality check and that is something we can save for a sequel...  :p  

For my documentaries, part of it involves interviews and I convinced myself I needed this very cool green screen set up to do it.  I told myself it would allow us to film it and then place us on Attu once I get those background shots!  Course, first I need to get there myself...   but Toys needed!   hehe, I got the idea to buy my own boat, since we will be going and forth often.  Better to buy one and save us $$ in the long run!   

Research boat, yummy!

Oh man, I can just see me loaded down with Toys someday and wondering how it happened...  I dont know, fun to dream I guess!  

hugs,

~Sea

Trying To Sound Translated...

Trying to sound translated...

It is an effect I am trying with some of the stories, to try to make them sound as if they have been translated into English...

With Seafoam, I tried to show it.  I want it to be subtle, like you are not sure why but you think it is somehow one of those "as told to" stories.

http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/artic_piercing.htm

It is strange to see these images and wonder about them...  I imagine she is very much like me but dresses way cooler...  

I mean, how it has to be a translation, the stories I mean.  I want them to sound passed down for generations.  A few of them I mean...  It seems strange to have to explain it so it makes sense but I guess I cant expect everyone to know my mind by magic  :p

So, try reading Seafoam again and see if it makes a difference now that I have explained it is meant to sound translated...

Did I achieve it?  Almost?  Not Quite??  


I think it is a fun way to write them, it comes naturally too.  Not all of my stories are written in that style, some are modern and meant to sound it too.  

My mind is buzzing today with ideas for "stuff"... I am gathering all the junk needed to apply for a business loan, woot!  wish me luck!  So may write a few more blogs since feel like bursting with creativity at the moment but dont want to work on any of my stuff...  

hugs,

~Sea

Joan Jett, The Blackhearts - Little Liar

I love this song!!

Strange Sounds In sky At Night

Strange noises at night...

Does anyone else notice the weird noises at night?  Some kind of music, I so wish I had better audio or that it is still happening when I do!  


I found this online, it sounds like what I heard, pretty close! 

Now this is from 2012 but some comments say they heard it last few nights too!



I hear it around 2 or 3 am or so I guess...  I think most of the time I thought it was coming from one of my daughters games as they played on their computers with me... A few times I asked them but with their headphones on they don't notice it as much I guess because mine are not as good...

2 nights ago one of my daughters and I were heading to bed when we heard it and could not figure out where it was coming from.  I went into the living room with her and looked out the window (sneakily, just in case...) ...

It was kind of loud, and sounded like music...

Last night I went to bed early so I would be deep asleep before it started!  

This morning one of my other daughters was on the couch.  We had told her about the weird sound and I guess she stayed up to hear it and got scared and was up most of the night...  

But last night I dreamed about it!

Was a good dream since I figured it out!

heheh...

So, I used my brand new recording equipment (in my dreams... sheesh, cant wait until I can afford to upgrade!!!)  and recorded it...

Got real good quality sound too!  So good I realized it was a woman talking, but her voice was so musical it sounded like music to all of us!  Made me think of Melody from Archie comics...    I dreamed I went on Youtube (and you know, had an actual following...) and asked them to help me out...  I said it was a woman talking, asking how we are...  and thinking us so rude because we never respond!  I said I am not musically inclined so needed someone to record themselves singing "I am fine, how are you?" beautifully for me...  I played it the next night and presto!  mystery solved!

Course I ran into my house too scared to even look out when she came to have a nice chat...   

but...  mystery solved!  someone sing and say "we are fine" and ask how she is!  

hugs,

~Sea

SeaFoam ~ writing sample

Seafoam ~ writing style sample...

stock image from wikipedia

 Here is a short story I wrote as an example of my writing style...  a mother/daughter tale...  a quick sketch to show my writing style, hope you enjoy...











The Seafoam

A Modern Unangan Tale


By Searean Moon



Copyright Searean Moon, 2015

It all began that fateful day the clouds cried.  I would never have gone to see what was happening otherwise.  But when a cloud cries, it matters.  Clouds have seen it all, all of humanities joy but also its cruelty, whether they want to or not.  They can’t help it, they must do their job as must we all.  So, their normal rain pattern is like a background sound.  The commercials between your favorite show.  But that day, the clouds cried.

I could not place the sound at first, it happens so rarely.  But then I remembered back when I was a child, the clouds had cried then too.  That was the day my tribe "forgot".  It was a sad day for all of us here.  No more play dates, no more sweet laughter for no other reason than just being alive, no more games. 

I call them my tribe because they moved to my island a long time ago.  They were seeking some peace away from the world of humans and had found an island suitable but others followed.  Too many others.  So they began to seek again and I showed them the way to mine.  Mine is special, very cloaked and shrouded, perfect for those seeking peace and quiet.  I lead them to mine.  I knew they would eventually have "Her".  Some things are meant to be.

Okay, so yeah, I had no clue about her, but it sounds cool and it is what I plan to tell my grandkids!  The pure joy I felt around them, hard to describe.  I loved to lie there on the bottom of the ocean, not a care in the world, spending eternity swaying to the forces of Nature.  I can imagine no greater joy.  I won’t tell how exactly, but there are ways to view what happens on the surface lands just as they can take a peek at our world down here at the bottom of the sea. 

My spot is where the world meets the sea.  It is a unique spot, no other place like it in the world.  So it is no wonder that the tribe that settled here would be unique as well.  Or that it would eventually produce a girl like her.  Her natural beauty astounded me the first time I glimpsed her.  There was talk of her and some of it was sad.  I loved our leader, who had heard all these stories and when it was time to take a wife, he chose her.

It became a grand love story.  The legend is he was fishing nearby her island and spotted her with a bunch of other girls getting the grass for the baskets.  Even knowing her life, I saw her smile, and she felt joyful.  Such true beauty.  That is what the legends say.  And we all heard the tales, we all did what we could to make it seem so fairytale perfect for them.  Unfortunately, that is what brought the others.

Sometimes when life is going so well, others want to try to take it for themselves.  This was one of those times.  It was a mighty battle, one involving most of the world in one way or another.  When my tribe was taken away I lost her for a while.  I searched but travel is difficult, as you might imagine.  If I was sea foam instead of seaweed, it would be so much easier to follow her.  But I was seaweed, rooted to my area for life.  So, I had to change.

You know the rules for such drastic change, it can be done but the cost is high and you cannot undo it.  But she was worth it.  Her smile was pure joy, her soul so vibrant and beautiful, not another woman had such a soul.  So, I did it.  I won’t try to explain the process or the pain, it is too hard for a mortal to understand.  Needless to say, it hurt and by the time I was done, she was once again moved far away.

When I finally found her again, the sadness in her eyes stabbed my heart like startling a gathering of porcupines!  I felt so moved.  But I was now sea foam and no longer seaweed.  I could not help her very much.  All I could do in this form was stay as close as I could and send her my friendship.  She felt it, though did not know it was me.  When she looked out to the sea, she felt it and would daydream for hours as we dreamed our dreams.

I have no idea exactly how it happened, no one does.  Sometimes the Goddess, or Mother as we call her, surprises us like that.  I was lapping there on the beach, sea foam like the rest.  Though I used all my strength to stay here in this area instead of riding the sea like the rest.  I was mostly spent, but determined to stay right here.  They thought me very weird and maybe that is how Mother heard about me, all of this just to try to stay close to some human?

So, I found myself suddenly on the land, my head resting on her knee as we looked out to the Sea.  When she stood to go home, I became what is called a puddle I believe.  It was great to be so close, I could see her myself instead of the secret ways.  The joy I felt transferred to her and she became more at peace once more.  I felt a change and realized my time was short.  The sea is endless with no beginning or end, but not so a puddle.  I sent her all my love I could until the day my puddle dried and I joined Mother once more.

Much time had passed when Mother sent for me.  I had forgotten everything I once knew and just basked in the lightness that is Mother.  She said there was a chance to rejoin my friend if I wanted.  As she spoke, the memories came back... 

My tribe, being seaweed, becoming sea foam, finding my friend, the slow death that every puddle must endure, forgotten as the happiness flooded me once more.  Mother smiled at my childlike eagerness.

My friend needed me.   She was about to have her last baby ever, there was a problem and I could become her child if I so wanted.  I could not believe my luck, wow!  I agreed without thinking of it.  I got to spend the end of my time and join my friend as a part of her.  That kind of thing rarely happens, I believe I am the first to go from seaweed to seafoam to mortal!

It is hard at times to understand them, I do feel different.  I guess because I am.  I got to grow up for my friend, trying to lighten her days.  Now I have my own daughters and it is time to tell them the story of friendship and devotion.  Will they understand how special we are?  Will they think I am just telling a tale?  Or maybe even this thing called a lie?  Maybe that is what I will tell them, that this is a story I dreamed one night.  That it never actually happened.  I mean, who ever heard of a cloud crying, no one would ever believe that! 

So, this is the tale of a dream I had after I had pizza late at night, nothing more.  Seaweed cannot see.  Clouds do not cry.  Puddles do not dry up.  And most important of all, seafoam is not magical essence itself.  It is merely seafoam.  But what is foam of the sea, if you stop and think about it??!  Is it the tears of the mighty sea itself?  Did the Sea, moved by her sadness, cry one tear that became me?

Werewolf film Revisited

Werewolf Film Revisited...

I need better audio!

 Rode Microphone from B&H


I wanted to make a cool intro for this blog and my Youtube channel but my audio is so bad!  So, I will upgrade that and get one posted soon!

For the werewolf movie, I plan to film a scene for crowdfunding!  I think it will generate some interest, if not cash...  But once we get it shot and am in post-production, I bet we get some funding then!  

It is hard to create something separate from my other works!  Those are designed to all tie together somehow and this one is a one-off...  Of course, I am writing a webisode to hopefully turn into a tv series some day...  But creating something "new" has been a good experience for me. 

It seems to be happening very quickly and very slowly at the same time.  How I want it all right this moment but filming wouldn't happen until Summer anyway!   I figured out how to do some of the stunts, too!  I am having such fun!  It is fun to see it inspire my daughters too!  

Side Note:  Never use 'auto-correct' on your word processing!  Makes you an extremely bad typist and you do not notice it happening!  I have picked up some bad habits!  A bit off topic but going back to correct typos and such is driving me crazy at the moment  :p  

I do tend to write these more informal and "chatty" and they should not reflect my script/novel writing as it is a totally different thing (at least in my mind).

But I am hoping I get some funding for this movie.  It will make doing the others much, much easier!  I cant wait though, I think it will definitely interest everyone in our other projects!  

What is your dream?  Are you chasing after it with all you got?  If not, then start right this moment!  I know that sometimes a dream can be something special that helps get us through a rough spot, but it can be so much more!  It is an amazing feeling, truly, to be working to make your dream come true.

You think it might change everything, but that is no reason to hesitate!  Change happens anyway, whether we notice or not!  (like with the typing!)   Even if you pursue your dream and find out you are making mistakes, it is how you learn best of all!  My first attempts failed miserably, that is for sure, but it did not deter me.  Instead it helped me realize I can do this!  Solving the problems is easy enough!  It seems the biggest one is "Money" but then you change tactics and plan "low budget" films to start off with.  

It helps prove I am a writer, in a way, I am making up scenes I never thought of all those years of dreaming about Bride of Sorrows!  Knowing I am not a 1-trick pony inspires me and gives me confidence to keep on!  

Things really seemed impossible awhile ago.  Funding was non-existent and there seemed to be no way to go forward.  I think I mentioned I conceived of a major thing that would be about $22,000,000!  It seemed so reasonable, well thought out and well reasoned to me but my would be Funders did not seem to agree!   I remember being so sad but then realized I can do this!  I just needed to prove it somehow!  then it occurred to me I could make a low budget movie...  Except I did not want to turn any of my present work into a low budget one!  

S'happens was born!  It would be an easy to film low budget to prove I have what it takes to create great films!   It seems so much talk and so much planning!  Luckily it is not a complete restart, I can still used all I learned already about film making, etc. and apply it to a low budget idea.  It is actually very interesting as a process too!  It is something I would recommend to anyone creative, no matter your age! 

Hehe, back to purple ink!  Me favorite color!  Hopefully it looks ok for everyone!  

I was playing with wounds and planning the "look" of the ravaged guy.  I wanted it to show it all but not be too much gore, I am still figuring it out.  How to show the details of it, to show the extent of the injuries suffered but not gross everyone out!  Psychology thriller not slasher movie!   I think it helps that it is old wounds so no dripping blood...

well, off to go write a scene, hugs and take care!

~Sea

New Hampshire declares war on Indigenous...


Sadly, they do not get the message, or do not care...

Werewolf Film

Werewolf Film

I guess I dream big, my first plan was to get funded for a building, a boarding house, lots of cool equipment, special effects makeup school (a real life skill we could use elsewhere) and do the costuming and masks for my "Trilogy of Terror" to create a new industry for my people.  It would cost me around $22 million (in a combination of loans and several grants).  I believe I said my great talent and what should assure you is that I raised 4 wonderful good girls so am an expert at multi-tasking with limited resources.  Funnily enough, that did not inspire the confidence I thought it would...

So, I tried a crowdfunding, but since I never actually made a film before, it did not inspire confidence in my project.  I know once we get it shot and are in post we will get lots of takers, so I am not worried about that...

My next great plan was to do a documentary about my people, Attu tribe.  I thought I had a couple interested but there are so many stories to tell (which is tragic in its own right, but got mine passed over) so wondered, man, how do you get funded?

A lot of places have programs but also sell courses on filling out their forms too... you know, this $50 buck course to get you a better chance at our $50,000 grant...  uh-huh...

So I decided I will show my resourcefulness!  I will make a low budget movie!  The trouble was I did not want to turn any of my current stuff into a low budget version, like taking a 3-tier decorated cake and tearing it apart and turning it into cake pops...  Just no!  So I began to wonder what to write about.  It needed to be something that inspired me in some way.  Makes me think of that movie line in Moulin Rouge "Luckily at the moment, an unconscious Argentinian fell through my roof", hehe.  Inspiration!

I was watching American Werewolf in London again, great movie.  I always wished we had an Alaska version and then it occurred to me:  hey, you are a writer!  I am working on it and like my mind always does, it began planning a tv spin off series at the same time.  

American Werewolf in London, classic werewolf movie!

So, I plan to shoot S'happens this summer along with the webisode shorts to garner interest in a tv version of it...  Now this one if it takes off I would be willing to sell, I plan on keeping all my other stuff, would rather it not get done then done badly!  I think people will like it.  I asked a few people if they are interested in trying it out and they are thinking about it.  If I end up doing the tv version I would keep them, if we sell it then they will have to see what the other party says...  But of they find they like acting, we can create a show ourselves!  


 

A good transformation scene is needed I think...

S'happens will be fun to shoot.  They said to look at what you actually have and write it around that.  So a lot is set close to a forest or in a forest and I will see if I can afford shooting in Anchorage.  There are some cool places I would love to have my werewolf run through!   

 

American Werewolf In Paris, good film, reflected "Gay Paree"

I kept the cast small and each roll is interesting for an actor to play.  I am not worried if they never acted before, we will all be new to this.  What will be fun is learning it together.

 

ut oh!!!

So I made sure to make it "do-able...


 It is just hard, the waiting to shoot until the weather clears...  I might try for some of the special effects now.  I will see how it goes.  I plan a cool transition scene, every werewolf movie needs at least to show some part transforming!  

So, look forward to getting more actual pics of my work, coming soon!  

hugs,

~Sea